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Malaysia’s state of Penang, anchored by its capital George Town, has been included in National Geographic’s Best of the World 2027 selection of 25 destinations. In a feature published on October 20, 2026, journalist Kristin Braswell places the UNESCO World Heritage Site’s murals alongside its food and heritage architecture. For travelers interested in street art, the selection offers a reason to build a visit around the streets where paintings, older buildings and everyday food culture share the same setting.

George Town’s murals belong in a wider street itinerary

Armenian Street and Love Lane are the named starting points for mural viewing. According to National Geographic, both have lively murals, while George Town’s narrow alleyways bring wall paintings together with street food hawkers. A visit can therefore combine looking at street art with observing the surrounding streets and stopping for food.

The geographic focus is useful. Penang includes the island, where George Town is located, and mainland Seberang Perai across the Penang Strait. The feature describes mainland villages, mangrove rivers and industrial hubs, while locating the mural experience in the historic capital. Travelers planning an art walk can begin with George Town before deciding how much of the wider state to explore.

Use the Wallscape map when sketching a street-art itinerary. Keep Armenian Street and Love Lane in the plan, and leave room to look at the buildings around the paintings. The relationship between a mural and its surroundings is part of the appeal of visiting art in the street: a wider view can be as informative as a close look at a painted wall.

Heritage buildings and food give the walk its context

George Town’s historic architecture adds another layer to a mural visit. National Geographic highlights the clan jetties, settlements built on stilts over the sea, and the Pinang Peranakan Mansion, a pale green building filled with antiques. These places offer further ways to explore the city’s heritage alongside its street art.

According to the feature, immigrants from China, India, Burma, the Arab world and Europe helped shape Penang’s cuisine, architecture and religious identity. Penang once served as a trading link between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. That broader cultural setting gives travelers a useful frame for looking at the city and the streets surrounding its murals.

Food can fit naturally into the same itinerary. National Geographic describes vendors, dining halls and historic shophouses, and highlights char kway teow, stir-fried noodles with shrimp and Chinese sausage. Other dishes include asam laksa, a spicy, tangy mackerel noodle soup with pineapple and herbs, and nasi kandar, rice served with curries, meat and vegetables. A food stop can sit alongside time spent looking at walls and architecture.

Travel dates affect the conditions for exploring outdoors

December through February brings warm, pleasant weather, along with peak-season crowds and higher prices, according to National Geographic. For travelers organizing a visit around streets and alleyways, choosing dates means weighing the weather against the cost and busyness of the trip.

The feature identifies March to May and September to November as shoulder seasons with fewer crowds. October, however, is typically the wettest month. Travelers considering an October visit should allow flexibility in plans for viewing murals and exploring heritage streets. Fewer visitors and drier conditions are separate considerations when selecting a time to go.

Religious celebrations also influence demand. National Geographic mentions Chinese New Year and Diwali as occasions when crowds and prices rise. A street-art itinerary can be planned with those periods in mind, especially when accommodation costs and time outdoors are priorities. The practical choice depends on which conditions matter most to the traveler.

Local transport supports a visit centered on the streets

The free Central Area Transit (CAT) shuttle is an option for exploring George Town. National Geographic also points to trishaw rides through the historic streets, Grab for rides and Rapid Penang buses for inexpensive travel around the island. These choices let travelers consider how to combine time on foot with transport between parts of a visit.

For an excursion beyond the mural setting, the feature reports that the Penang Hill Cable Car is due to begin operating in 2027. The planned journey will run from the Penang Botanic Gardens to the top of Penang Hill in under 10 minutes, with views across the rainforest canopy.

The hill can add a landscape excursion to a trip built around George Town. For street-art travelers, the central draw remains the capital’s combination of murals, heritage buildings and food hawkers. Penang’s place on the 2027 list brings that combination into a broader travel conversation, with Armenian Street and Love Lane providing concrete places to begin.

Source: National Geographic